Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-03-26
the repetition Of that stale aud eS
ploded charge.

I DhOo1oiO uhC oOfSkaOh hHa IN uA'
mind the attempt ofthe Democrats of
Illinois to steal the seat of John Lo-
gan by the most unblushing frauds;
lip Ohio, to defraud John Sherman
out of the place he now holds; 10
Indiana, to succeed in the form of
L an election of Senator, by the most
unblushing forgery, fraud and usur-
patton that ever disgraced polite
al organization; in New Jersey, by
Itampering the ballot box and chang
ling the ballots, SO rs to give the GER
tlficate OF election to Democratic
members of the Legislature, which
illegally and morally should have
been given to Republicans; and in
West Virginia, we have the open
statement on the floor of the House
of Delegates by Hon. D. B. Lucas,
the ablest Democrat in that body,
that Democratic nominee for u. S.
Senator used money to purchase
votes to secure his reelection. Said
Mr.. Lucas, II charge that Republi-
cans on this floor have been offered
money by johnson N. Camden, and
/ dare you dispute it. You may APP
point your investigating committee
whenever you'please and | am ready
with the proof to place before that
committee in veritication of my
CHARGE" The Republicans did not
go to his support, and the Legisla-
ture adjourned with no election. But
the guilt is the same and Mr.. Lucas's
invitation to the friends of Mr.. Cam
den to investigate was never &C
cepted.
But we need not go so far to find
an illustration of Democratic meth
DDS. Gov. Lee owes his own election
to the usurpation and outrage of the
Virginia Legislature of 1884, when
legally elected Republicans were
deprived of their seats and Demo
Gratis whom the people had rejected |
at the polls, given them. This pro
cess was pursued until a two-thirds
majority exactly was secured, so as
to defy the veto of Republican |
Governor. And thus was enacted |
the infamous Mccormick Anderson
electoral law, which placed all the
election machininery in partisan |
hands to be manipulated as the ext |
gencies of the Democratic party |
might demand. In this way the |
State was gwen to the Democratic
party,-Gov. Lee elected at the sue
ceeding election, to the place he
now holds, and John w. Daniel
chosen Senator.
| 1t would seem to fair.mlnded |
public that the less said about cleo
ton frauds by prominent Democrats
would be the better, when the histo-
~ of the campaign of 1883 is remem-
bered, and the use made of the pow.
er gained by violence, bloodshed and
fraud, is considered.
The letter we have quoted does
not comport with the dignity and
position of the Governor of great
State. 1t evidences narrow view
of public interests and reckless
partlZanism more in harmony with
the mouthines of cross.road orators
and shallow minded demagogues
than the representative of the people
in the Chief Executive Office of the
Commonwealth.
1t is possible an explanation of the
letter and the terms in which it was
couched, may be found in the follow
ing dispatch to the Chicago Times,
Democratic, from st. Paul, Minneso-
ia, relating to Gov. Lees recent Junk
citing voyage to that city;
"At the time Gov. Fitzhugh Lee.
Of Virginia, made his visit to this
city no particular significance was
supposed to attach to the trip, but it
has since been learned that to the
leading Democratic politicians it
meant much more than an apparent
ly innocent pleasure journey. In fact,
the statement is now made that Gov.
Lee wants the Democratic nomina.
ton for Vice President in 1885,. and
that while dining with Messrs. KEEL
ley and Doran in st. Paul he made
overtures for MiDnesota's delegates
in the next national convention and
will get them if he and mine can
deliver the goods"
If such be the ambition Of the
Governor he has taken a question
able step to attract the favorable
conservative men of the country, for
there is not one of them who knows
not that the language and the senti
ment of the Brooklyn letter are the
veriest stuff, offensive to the decen.
cy of the nation as we'll as dscredit
able to their author. The American
people are not looking for the pat
ron of such language and insinu-
atoms to elect TO the second highest
Office in their gift, nor to commit the
country to a campaign of cheap
demagogueism that can find endorse,